By Tole Zacharia
As the landscape of Hofstra Law School is continually changing, new clubs have emerged with distinctive purposes. The Student Bar Association (SBA), the equivalent of the undergraduate Student Government Association, sanctions Law School clubs.
Law students wishing to start a club must obtain 25 signatures from fellow students, fill out forms, obtain an advisor and executive board, and present in front of the SBA. “The SBA will then vote on whether to approve your new club or not,” said Remy Ina, the president of SBA.
Camila Medici, a first-year law student and representative to the SBA, said, “It’s easy and SBA wants to approve anything the students want to do. As long as you have people in agreement with your idea you should be fine.”
The new groups formed this semester received provisional approval and will have to present again to SBA toward the end of the semester explaining what they have done in order to be approved for the upcoming year.
The South Asian Law Students Association, led by Neethu Venugopal, a first-year law student, was formed with the purpose of providing strength, fostering community, cultural awareness and encouraging South Asian involvement and success in the legal arena.
“Its ultimate goal would be to provide a supportive environment to all students, not only South Asian students, and also provide a way to network with other schools and professionals to further our careers,” Parul Lahoti, vice president of SALSA, said.
The Christian Law Students Association was founded for similar, but slightly different reasons. “CLSA was started to serve a need that we felt was not being met by any other group. We felt that there was a strong desire for people who share or are interested in the Christian faith to come together, fellowship, grow stronger, discuss concerns and put what they believe into action through community service,” said JJ Perez, the president of CLSA.
Another group expressed their concerns in the lack of a certain component that the other clubs have missed. Kurt Kagawa, the president and founder of Hofstra Law Gentlemen, said that although the law school is deprived of “gentlemen,” the group will be beneficial to the entire community.
“There have been a few individuals who have commented on the lack of gentlemen in the law school, as well as in the general population. Although I wish it were otherwise, this statement is all too true,” Kagawa said. “We already have over 50 people signed up as members on Facebook. For the guys, this club is one that caters directly to their interests. For the girls, many of them have commented that having a club such as this can only be beneficial to the school in general.”
The responses of the student body to the many organizations that exist on campus are mixed. Some see the role they can play in enhancing the law school experience. Many students agree that participating in clubs will meet the needs that education does not always offer.
“Law school should not just be about studying. Getting involved with clubs help students even out their lives [and] can help you get jobs after graduation,” said Kyong Kim, the president of the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association.
Felicia Kemp, the president of the Latin American Law Student Association, also added that participating in clubs involves commitment.
“If you’re just a member, it’s nice to join so you can pick and choose which activities you want to take part in. However, by being an involved member, it provides access to opportunities you wouldn’t ordinarily have such as jobs, scholarships and networking,” Felicia said. “Lots of the work is without appreciation or notice, but if just one student benefits, I consider it a success.”
The SALSA leadership team discusses upcoming plans for the semester.